The 'Other' Jusenkyö Spring
by Maiku
Summary: There are rumors about the Jusenkyö Springs. Some are true, many are false. But there is one rumor that is greatly debated over. The rumor of...The 'Original' Spring
1. Prologue

The _Other_ Jusenkyö Spring  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything Ranma.  


  
Prologue  
  
There are rumors about the Jusenkyö Springs. Some are true, many are false. But there is one rumor that is greatly debated over. The rumor of...  
  
..."The _Original_ Spring."  
  
The rumor is as folows: They say that when the Jusenkyö Training Grounds and Springs were founded, they were normal springs where many martial artists trained. That is, until a girl actually drowned in one of the springs. When the original owner went to 'bless' the spring (in the same way the other springs have been 'blessed'), he read one of the lines wrong. This error made an incredible difference. Instead of having the normal curse effects of hot and cold water switching between forms, the unlucky person who fell in would be stuck permanently as female.  
  
Of course that's just a rumor...  
  
...or is it?  
  
****************  
  
Well, this is just the prologueno story just yet, and it's kinda short for a real chapter. I'll get the first chapter up as soon as I finish typing it up.


	2. Part 1 - The Fall

The _Other_ Jusenkyö Spring  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything Ranma. Everything else is my idea.  


  
Part 1  
  
"What are the chances," I said, putting away my parachute, "that it would be _our_ three seats that fell apart first?"  
  
Mark sat down and wiped the sweat from his brow. "I dunno, Mike. Any ideas Brandi?" He said turning to her.  
  
She just shrugged and shook her head. "I'm just glad we're safe," she said, dropping her parachute bag on the ground and sitting on it.  
  
I picked up my backpack from the ground, reached in, and took out the few hundred dollars I had saved up for this trip. I checked my wallet and was relieved to see that all of my money was still there too. "Well," I said, looking up, "I guess we should find some place to tell us how to get to Japan."  
  
Mark got up. "You know how to speak Chinese? 'Cause I know we're somewhere in China."  
  
"That's 'cause you had the window seat," Brandi piped up, a little angry.  
  
"Hey, cool it!" I said. "The last thing we need right now is to fight, 'cause it could only get us more lost. Hopefully someone around here speaks English or Japanese; we all can understand those." I looked around. It looked rather familiar, like someplace I'd been before, except I've never been to China.  
  
"'Three American teens stranded in China,'" Mark looked like he was displaying a newspaper headline. Brandi promptly whacked him over the head.  
  
"We're not stranded, 'cause it's not an island." Brandi turned pink with anger, complimenting her hazel eyes and shoulder-length blue hair (dyed, mind you).  
  
"Owokay, sheesh." Mark said back, rubbing a hand through his short black hair to rub the bump.  
  
"Will you two please stop that?" I stopped and yelled back at them. "Seriouslywe may not be stranded, but we _are_ lost." I turned back and kept wondering why it all seemed familiar to me. I scratched my shorter brown hair as my green eyes kept scanning the arena. Hundreds of pools sat all around, with thousands of bamboo sticks planted in them.  
  
Mark spoke up, "It looks like one of those ancient training grounds they used to use."  
  
It seemed to tick something in my head, but it wouldn't come out. As we walked, we came up to a high ledge: springs on one side, a drop to more springs on the other side. Although the ledge wasn't very wide, the land between the springs were even less wide.  
  
"Come onbetter to use the ledge than go between the springs." I said, going ahead.  
  
Unfortunately, I'm not that well-balanced. Half-way along the ledge, my foot went too far left and slipped off of the ledge. Unable to stay up, I grabbed the ledge to keep myself up. Putting up my hands to pull myself up, my backpack strap cut into my shirt. Quickly, I dropped it down to the ground below, where (fortunately) it landed against the side of the ledge.  
  
"Need some help?" Mark and Brandi were above me, reaching down to pull me up. Somehow, either hanging on the ledge, or seeing them above me, the click I had earlier seemed to make it to my senses. I promptly panicked, realizing that although being where I thought we were had to be impossible, I had no doubt that's where we were.  
  
Mark was confused. "What's the matter? It's just water down there."  
  
Brandi, however, understood, and she was looking quite scared too. She mouthed, "It can't be" Unfortunately, she also loosened her grip on me.  
  
"Brandi!" I screamed, as Mark's hands also started slipping. I tried gripping the ledge, but it was too slippery. The last thing I yelled as I fell was, "Get some hot water, Brandi!" Then I splashed.  
  
~-~-~-~  
  
Still underwater, I checked myself over. Compared to all the other springs, Spring of Drowned Girl was better than most. At least I was still human. I broke surface, feeling quite strange. Looking up, I saw nobody on the ledge. Hopefully that meant they were getting some hot water for me. Getting out, I sat between the spring and my bag. Grabbing a large lock of my now almost-shoulder-length hair, I saw that it was actually blond. Wringing all my hair out, I looked into the pool and saw that my usually green eyes were now a bright blue. I stood up, and knew that I was definitely a bit shorter, as my normally fitting jean shorts were hanging loose, and my grey shirt was too loose around. My feet were also a couple sizes smaller, so my shoes didn't fit either.  
  
"Dang it!" I screamed, and noticed the definite higher pitch of my voice. Wishing I had a towel handy, I grabbed my bag and sloshed towards the entrance.  
  
~-~-~-~  
  
As I neared the gate, three figures approached me, each I recognized. Mark, Brandi, and the Jusenkyo guide. As they got closer, I saw that Brandi was carrying what looked like a giant tea kettle. It was steaming a bit.  
  
"Did you have to get it in one of those?" I asked Brandi. I noticed Mark backing off a little bit; no doubt he was a bit awkward about this whole thing.  
  
She sighed, "It was the only thing he had," gesturing at the Jusenkyö guide.  
  
"I'm guessing you told Mark about the springs?" I asked. Mark didn't read the Ranma 1/2 series.  
  
"Yes, now hold still," she said as she overturned the pot over me. The warm water soaked me again, but something didn't feel right.  
  
And by the look in Brandi's eyes, that something also didn't look right. Looking down at my body, I saw...  
  
...I was still a girl.  
  
I promptly fainted.  
  
~-~-~-~  
  
I thought he had just fallen in the "Spring of Drowned Girl" Brandi said in Japanese. Groggily, I sat up in the bed I was on.  
  
Brandi saw me awake and walked over to me. "Come onwe need you to point out which spring you landed in."  
  
"Umm, 'kay" I said, regretting that it wasn't all just a dream.  
  
Quickly I got up and almost tripped because I still wasn't used to my new body. Walking a little more carefully, I went straight to the pool at the botom of the ledge and pointed it out.  
  
To my surprise, the guide almost fainted. OhhLegendary tragic story go with that spring. Call it "Original Spring" they do. Story of girl who drownedfirst to drown here at Jusenkyö. They saythey say the 'blessing' was said wrong when she drown. Cause temperatured waters to have no effect.  
  
So, you're saying there's no 'temporary' about this? I asked.  
  
The guide only nodded.  
  
Great, so I'm staying a girl until we find a way to get rid of this curse. This is just not my day, I sighed. I was not liking this at all.  
  
You speak Japanese well, no? I help you get back to Japan! the Guide said, a little too helpfully.  
  
I looked around after the guide had left. It was just me and Brandi. "I guess Mark stayed at the Guide's house" I turned to Brandi. "You know you've gotta help me get used to this"  
  
"Me? What did _I_ do?"  
  
"You loosened your grip on me. If you had held my arm tight, you two could've pulled me back up." We started walking back towards the gate.  
  
She sighed, admitting defeat. "Alright, I'll help you. But no perverted stuff."  
  
"That's not my style!" I protested. We argued a bit while we walked towards the Guide's house again.  
  
****************  
  
If you couldn't figure it out:  
" " English speaking  
Japanese speaking


	3. Part 2 - Arriving in Nerima

The _Other_ Jusenkyö Spring  
  
Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Everything else is my idea.  


  
" " – English speech  
' ' – Thoughts  
– Japanese speech  
  
Part 2  
  
We sat (dried off) in the Guide's house as he made a phone call. Unfortunately, it was in Chinese, so I couldn't understand any of it. After a couple minutes he turned to us.  
  
So sorry, but what are your names being? he asked us.  
  
"Mark;" "Brandi;" "MiMaichi." I figured that since there was no way to transform back as far as I could see, I should at least have a girl's name for now.  
  
The Guide turned back to the phone. I heard him say, Makku, Burandi, and Maichi, before he talked some more in Chinese and hung up.  
  
Okay, you are getting tickets for plane. Only you need say names at them when you get there. He then gave us directions on how to get there. Plane leave in 2 hour, take half of hour to get there walking the way.  
  
'Walking, not tripping,' I thought to myself as I looked at my now too large sneakers.  
  
I felt a tap on my shoulder, and looked up (yes up, I hate being short) to the Jusenkyö Guide. You are needing new clothes, no?  
  
Erm, yeah, I replied, but where around here sells them?  
  
Jusenkyö gift shop! the Guide said. So many people miss shop. They miss shop because they too busy being cursed. I give you one free set of clothes if you buying another.  
  
"Sounds like a deal," I said to Brandi. Okay, that sounds good to me.  
  
~-~-~-~  
  
"I'm not asking you to be a criticI just want an opinion." I said, trying to stay calm.  
  
Brandi and I had gone into the changing rooms of the small shop, trying to find some clothes that (Brandi said) I looked good in.  
  
"Well, you know" Brandi said with that smirk in her voice that usually meant she had thought of something a bit mean. She disappeared and reappeared, saying, "I could always knock you out and force you to wear this." She was holding a hanger with a short-sleeve navy blue shirt and matching mini-skirt.  
  
"Uh-uhno skirts," I said, pointing out of the changing room door.  
  
"Fine," Brandi said with fake disappointment. She reappeared with two sets of shorts and shirts. "Come on, let's buy them and get out of here."  
  
"Hold on" I said. I checked how big my sneakers were, and picked up a pair of plain white sneakers that I guessed would fit. Trying one on, I found I was right. Picking down 2 pairs of smaller socks, I said, "OK, _now_ we can buy them."  
  
~-~-~-~  
  
A half-hour later, we walked into the airport. I was now wearing a pair of sky-blue shorts and a white short sleeve shirt with the Kanji for 'peace' on it. The shoes and socks fit better than my old ones, which had made for easier walking (my old clothes were in a plastic bag inside my backpack).  
  
Excuse me, Brandi said to the woman at the desk.  
  
May I help you? she said.  
  
Um, we have tickets waiting, I think.  
  
The woman at the desk checked her computer before asking, And what are your names, please?  
  
Uh, Burandi, MakkuMaichi, she finished.  
  
That seems to be in order. She passed us three tickets. Board at gate 5-E.  
  
We started walking towards the gate when my stomach let out a loud growl. "Uhm, I think we should get some food," I said.  
  
~-~-~-~  
  
Almost 2 hours later  
  
~-~-~-~  
  
"So _why_ were we going to Japan in the first place?" Mark asked. He had the window seat again.  
  
"We were _trying_ to spend our summer vacation there," I replied, "but the first plane had to practically blow up. We're lucky we're alive now."  
  
"Now the question is," Brandi said, interrupting, "why did the plane blow up and how did we get sent to the Ranma 1/2 world?"  
  
"That's two questions," Mark said, blandly.  
  
"SHUT UP!" Brandi yelled at Mark. "Now," she started calmly "Let's think about the _question**s**_****,"  
  
"Yeah, like anything that was suspicious on the plane," I added. We thought back to earlier today, ended up not thinking of anything and wasting the rest of the flight.  
  
~-~-~-~  
  
One flight and a half-hour later  
  
~-~-~-~  
  
"So this is Nerima" Mark said. Not surprisingly enough, it looked pretty much like the manga described.  
  
Suddenly, from the sky we heard, Damn you Akane! followed by the splashing of someone into the storm drain.  
  
"So much for the Manga ending" Brandi and I said at the same time.  
  
Ranma, now a girl, jumped out of the storm drain, wearing the Chinese clothes s/he always wore. Right on cue Kuno came running over with a bouquet of flowers for My pig-tailed goddess.  
  
Fortunately, Ranma stayed right on cue with a kick to the head that sent Kuno to the ground. She then ran off back towards the Tendo Dojo.  
  
"I guess we should head over to the Dojo too," I said.  
  
Suddenly, Kuno was up and looking around. Where have you gone, my pig-tailed goddess?  
  
Hey! Why don't you just give her up? I said without thinking. It's easy to see she doesn't want you!  
  
Kuno half looked like he was going to explode and half looked plain shocked. How do you know my pig-tailed goddess he started, then ran at us, yelling, and how dare you insult her!  
  
"Smooth move" Brandi said at my shoulder, but stopped because Kuno was on top of us. Without realizing exactly what I was doing, I launched a kick at his face, sending him into the storm drain.  
  
"Uhh" I said after a minute had gone by with us standing there. "How the heck did I do that?"  
  
"Let's, uh, think about that later" Mark said.  
  
"Yeah, to the Dojo first." Brandi agreed, and we left.  
  
~^~3rd-person~^~ **  
  
Kuno lay in the water thinking. 'That girlshe's almost as strong as my pig-tailed goddess. No_as_ skilled!'  
  
~^~1st-person~^~ **  
  
As we walked to the Dojo, I noticed a payphone by the side of the road. Getting an idea, I went and dialed the operator. Hi, can I make a call to China? Yes, I would like to call the Jusenkyö Guide house. Half a minute later the phone was ringing.  
  
Jusenkyö! the guide said suddenly.  
  
Hi, this is M-Maichi. I said (I was still getting used to my new name). We left Jusenkyö earlier today.  
  
Ah, yes. You need more help?  
  
Actually yes. The spring I fell inthe 'Original' Springwhat is it the cursed spring of?  
  
Oh, it is spring of drowned Martial-artist girl. I thought you know that.  
  
Heh, no, sorry. Thanks for that thoughbye! I hung up.  
  
"Well, it makes sense now." I said, going back to the bench they were sitting on. "Seems a martial-artist girl drownedthat's why I could kick like that."  
  
"Well, now that we know that, I think we can finally get to the Dojo." Brandi said, with a hint of annoyance.  
  
"Ok ok okno more distractions." I said, and we went to the Dojo.  
  
****************  
  
** - these change the story between 3rd- and 1st-person writing. Anything that's in 3rd-person is unknown to the main character unless it says otherwise.  
  
Keep up the reviews and comments; they help me build the next chapter, instead of having me working from almost absolute scratch.


End file.
